Ideas for digital distribution

[John Jenkin]

I've had a few thoughts on the subject of the still rather troubled digital distribution market (alright other than Steam) that I think may soothe the painful sting of the main issue, namely, the price.

Many people get angry at how companies are charging full retail price for digitally distributed games, quite rightly in my opinion, bit I think that the solution most are hoping for, the lowering of prices for digital games, might not be the right way of going about it.
One of the many reasons gamers are so sore about the whole issue is that digital games are generally regarded as being of lower value than their corporeal counterparts. Store- bought games come in decorative cases, some of which will be special edition. They also come with nice little extras, such as maps, literature, and all manner of interesting knick- knacks. I myself proudly display my Metro 2033 postcards on the walls of my room. Gamers are a trinket-y bunch, the more affluent among us lounging atop special addition commemorative figures and and art books a,d other such sundries like Smaug's pasty- skinned nephew.

Back to the issue at hand, I don't think lowering the prices of digitally distributable games is the solution. I think that the solution is that they should increase the value of those games.

Think about it. People are happier to pay more if they are -receiving- more. And I'm not talking about in- game content, as that comes with its own set of issues (eg. bias towards digital distribution, balance issues in multiplayer etc.) but more about supplementary goodies. Things that wouldn't even cost much to add in, like developer video diaries, banks of concept art, even the ability to play scrapped / cut levels. The possibilities are endless in this regard when considering games and series with a larger following, but it would also be useful to smaller developers, enabling them to show you the sides of the game they wanted to show you, and adding depth to the experience.

I know I'm somewhat new to this forum but I hope you enjoy my little contemplations!

 

[DoPo]

Well, really, why not? Make the game cheaper, and add some extra bits and pieces. I like GOG - it gives me the game manual, as well as some artwork, maps (if applicable), avatars with characters (usually), and even music. OK, let's say scrap the music but I don't see why DD can't include the rest of the stuff. Sometimes it's nice to have a manual at hand, other times you need one because some information (albeit these days it'd be more trivial side stuff) is not in the game. And it's not an actually big extra value to offer the manual - it just takes up space and bandwith - maybe 1% of the total game, maybe less. Also, you make the PDF from the thing you send to the printers. Maybe you actually send them PDFs. Or heck, you can even scan one, if need be. You can also add in some promo artwork and/or wallpapers and stuff, maybe compile a "developers logbook" from public announcements/blog posts/whatever.

It wouldn't cost as much as making physical manuals and boxes, etc. Not to mention that you make them one time only. So reduce the price of the DD version by 5 bucks or something. You're still on top and now people have even more of a reason to go buy that thing online.

Padding the value of a DD game can only go so far, in my opinion, not to mention that offering different exclusives for physical and non-physical copies will make some people angry. Expect stuff like "Well, I bought this from the store and got a wallpaper, but the digital version offers a wallpaper for my screen. So fuck you <developer/publisher>, I will pirate it! How do you like that, hahahah" mark my words, these comments will immediately show up.

 

[Esotera]

It's a nice idea but doesn't work out that way - people like buying digital copies of games cheap. Games on Steam sale or that are reduce will typically see their sales multiplied between 100-1000%, and that's much better for everyone than the alternative.

The best things games can do is offer a reasonable price, make it easy to mod in a standardised way, port to other systems, and not be ridiculous with the DRM. Of course, that means the game has to be good...

 

[targren]

I disagree. Lowering the price is exactly what needs to be done. I don't use Steam for reasons I won't go into again, but one of the things they got RIGHT is the sales. Games are too damned expensive for what you get, and getting even LESS (no resale, no physical media, ability to have your purchase taken from you at will) for the same price while the publisher SAVES money (there is no way bandwidth will cost as much as designing/printing/assembling boxes, pressing and packing discs, shipping costs...) is BS.

DD should be doing all that bonus crap AND lowering the price.

 

[Not Matt]

if your going to do the steam wallet thing. make more options for how much you want taken of you card. say if i want to buy something for 2$ i don't want to use 5$ to be able to get those 2$.

 

[Bertylicious]

"Gamers are a trinket-y bunch"

Speak for yourself. I already spend half my life in a neverending quest to put more bullets in the gun, spending the other half building a cage of ephemera around myself just seems too much like madness.

Prices are never going to go down. It just doesn't work like that. The model Steam has, with it's many and marvelous sales, is the best outcome for the consumer. If I want the immediacy of the product, Borderlands 2 for instance, then I'll pay full whack for it.

£40+ on a game, DD or otherwise, is total bullshit though.